The Macao government’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre has announced that crew members of cargo ships plying the Hong Kong-Macao route no longer have to undergo quarantine during their stay in Macao, but they continue to be subjected to COVID-19 testing every seven days, considering that Hong Kong’s COVID-19 epidemic has now eased.
The centre made the announcement in a statement on Saturday, when the lifting of the quarantine for the crew members took effect.
The statement pointed out that in response to Hong Kong’s then serious COVID-19 epidemic, the Macao government started on 3 August to implement “closed-loop management” for crew members of cargo ships plying the Hong Kong-Macao route during their stay in Macao, according to which they were required to undergo quarantine until their next sailing to Hong Kong – either choosing to go ashore and be taken to a “designated” hotel or staying on their respective vessels.
According to previous announcements, the Macao government booked the 46-room Hotel London in the Inner Harbour area for the “closed-loop management” measure for the crew members. The Macao government said that it decided to book the hotel, which is located in Praça de Ponte e Horta, for the crew members during their stay in Macao because it is close to the pier where they normally board their Hong Kong-bound vessels.
According to previous announcements about the now-defunct “closed-loop management” measure, upon coming ashore in Macao the crew members were transported by special vehicles to Hotel London. They were required to stay in their guestroom until they went to work again when they were transported by special vehicles back to the pier to board their Hong Kong-bound vessels. Alternatively, they could choose to stay on their respective vessels during their stay in Macao.
Saturday’s statement underlined that the Macao government’s strict requirements imposed on crew members of cargo ships plying the Hong Kong-Macao route will remain in force, according to which they are not allowed to go ashore and be in touch with any Hong Kong people when their vessels are in Hong Kong.
According to previous announcements about the requirements on the crew members, goods in Hong Kong are only loaded onto the Macao-bound ships by mechanical devices.
Macao lifts quarantine for arrivals from eastern town in Guangdong
Meanwhile, the centre also announced in a statement yesterday that from today the Macao government will lift its quarantine requirement for all arrivals who have been in Nantang town of Lufeng city in Guangdong province within the 14 days prior to their entry into Macao, after “considering the latest developments of the COVID-19 epidemic” in the province.
The Macao government imposed its 14-day quarantine for arrivals from Lufeng’s Nantang town 10 days ago when the mainland health authorities upgraded the town to a COVID-19 “medium-risk” area after one confirmed case and four asymptomatic cases had been reported there.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
PHOTO © South China Morning Post
